A Place for Healing

Abstract

Transforming Societies after Political Violence explores the relationship between the individual and the political and social contexts in which victims or survivors of violence find themselves. The book delves into the complex interplay between individual psychological processes and macro-political interventions such as truth commissions. During times of political transition, it is vital that there exists a bridge between what takes place at the national or political level and the personal experience of the victim or survivor of political violence. This is where the work in and around transitional justice processes—undertaken by policymakers, survivors themselves, and those working to assist or support them—can be of great benefit. Supporting victims, once they are ready, to be active agents within their environment is critical. In short, the book demonstrates how dealing with the legacy of individual experience of violence and collective processes of peacebuilding can be better integrated to make a lasting peace in societies in transition.